User centred application model: addressing the information acquisition process to manage information overload phenomenon among postgraduates students in public university

Information overload phenomenon has been extensively discussed at the individual, organisational, and societal levels. This research has concentrated on personal level that is individual specifically towards postgraduate students due to less attentions were given to this group. Information overload phenomenon could be initiated due to several factors such as information, information technology, task, organisation, and the person itself. The factors could lead to variety of symptoms and information overload effects that need for appropriate countermeasure as a means of managing the information overload phenomenon. According to the findings of a preliminary study and interview among postgraduate students, a factor studied in this research is the person factor, which led to attention and attitude symptoms and affected the information search direction. The person factor has a significant impact on the information overload phenomenon among postgraduates. There are a wide range of solutions that has been offered including technological and behavioural solutions towards information overload phenomenon. Nonetheless, the existing solutions still need some enhancement to cater the person needs. The existing solution focussed on the hard approach that is technical part of the technology rather than soft approach. Soft approach is absent in the current solutions which focus on user centred perspective in the technology. Thus, this research aims to propose a user centred application model which will be able to manage individual information overload. The research endeavour to study human factors causing information overload among postgraduates, propose a user centred application model, and verify its relevance in managing information overload phenomenon. Furthermore, theoretical study and content analysis had been completed to come out with user centred application model which addressed the information acquisition process among user which assumed to influence the user performance. Based on expert evaluation finding, the user characteristics components which are knowledge, awareness, activity and human capability being considered relevant to application which is used by specific users since they have similar user characteristics. Model refinement had been made with additional components which are action plan and support system to ensure user centredness. Lastly, expert verified that the model is relevant in system design and system development practices. It is realistic to be practiced in industry. Besides, the postgraduate students had also verified that the user centred components are important when utilising the application in IT infrastructure which had proven to improve their research performance and indirectly manage their information overload. Eventually, this model will guide and facilitate the design of user centred applications, benefiting future researchers, developers, and designers in creating better applications.